Who Is a Psychologist?
When people hear “psychologist,” they often think of someone providing therapy or helping with trauma. Many assume all psychologists are therapists, but is that true? What does a psychologist actually do, and what careers are possible after studying psychology?
A psychologist is a professional committed to studying the mind and behaviour. Though people link psychologists mostly with talk therapy, the field is more diverse with many specialized areas.
Psychologists can focus on problems covering animal behaviour to organizational dynamics. Their knowledge is used in several areas, including teaching, research, and mental health treatment.
Roles and Specializations of Psychologists
The term “psychologist” refers to academics studying human behavior, actions, and experiences, like desires and emotions. “Psychologists, as scientists, explain, predict, and change.” They aim to explain phenomena such as happiness or stress, predict behavior, and help change thinking patterns.
These three tasks—explaining, predicting, and changing—are central to all psychologists, no matter their field. Psychologists try to understand human issues, like stress or loneliness, and explain their causes. They then predict and adjust behaviours or thinking patterns to improve people’s lives.
Change is especially important in counselling and psychotherapy. They help people who want to improve, like students wanting to learn better. For trauma or mental illness, psychotherapists are necessary.
Some psychologists teach at academic institutions and conduct extensive psychological scientific research. Clinical psychologists, treat mental health disorders using the “talk therapy” called psychotherapy.
The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes 54 separate branches of psychology, each devoted to a specific area of study.
Types of Psychologists
Despite the variety of fields, all psychology work remains people-centered. Psychologists usually aren’t limited to one area because human behaviour is diverse. Usually, depending on their areas of focus, psychologists can be categorized in three main groups:
1) Applied psychologists
Applied psychologists use psychological knowledge to address real-world problems. They focus on enhancing human interaction with technology, helping, for instance, optimize workplace productivity. Applied psychologists might work in aviation, engineering, or business.
2) Research psychologists
Research psychologists carry out studies on human or animal subjects. They look at different topics such as cognition (thinking and memorizing), neuroscience (connection between the mental processes and the brain structure), research on personality, or social behaviour. Research psychologists work at universities and private or governmental institutions, providing analysis serving different demands and applications.
3) Mental health psychologists
Mental health psychologists treat mental health disorders. They work in hospitals, psychiatric clinics, and private practices, but also as school psychologists.
Postgraduate Education for Psychologists
Psychologists can start their subspeciality training after finishing their bachelor’s degree or master’s diploma. Industrial-organizational psychologists commence their speciality training after achieving their master’s degree.
Clinical psychologists typically require a broader educational background, such as a master’s or doctor’s degree. In addition, they have to participate for a few years in supervised clinical training.
Psychologists vs. Psychotherapists: Key Differences
People often confuse psychology with psychotherapy, but they are not the same. Some people use the titles “psychologist” and “psychotherapist” interchangeable. However, there are distinct differences between them. A psychologist is a university graduate in the field of psychology. He can work as consultants, coaches, or in other roles, while not all psychologists become psychotherapists. After a psychology degree, one can pursue further training to specialize to expand their skills.
A psychotherapist is a graduated psychologist who participated in the psychotherapy training in psychiatric hospitals or clinics. Such training lasts a few years and consists of theory and supervised practice on how to apply the psychotherapy in treatment settings.
Work Settings for Psychologists
Psychologists work in different professional environments. They provide direct patient care in a variety of healthcare settings, such as hospitals or clinics. Others conduct psychological research or teach students at the universities.
Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist: Understanding the Difference
Most people remain unaware of the distinction between a psychologist and a psychiatrist.
A psychologist is educated in psychology, which deals with the human psyche “on the software level.” Psychology studies the behaviour of living beings, mostly humans but also of animals. As we mentioned above, psychology can be applied in different areas of society, including the treatment of mental health problems.
Contrary to a psychologist, a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who, after his general medical studies, was trained how to treat mental health problems with the main focus on their biological aspect. Psychiatrists treat mental illnesses mostly by using medication. If we use the computer model, they work more on the “hardware level,” influencing the mental processes through biochemical changes in the brain.
When Should One See a Psychologist?
It is wrong for people to think that they do not require the assistance of professionals as they do not have serious issues. It is very important to consult a psychologist for numerous reasons, ranging from important life issues that would require the input of a psychologist to mere self-improvement.
Individuals need psychological help for various complaints. They include mental health disorders like depression or anxiety, negative cognition (problems with thinking, memory, and focusing), for example ADHD, or trauma. The other indications are: burnout, anger outbursts, marital or job-related problems. Insomnia, persistent fatigue, and sadness are wakeup calls to consult a psychologist.
Some people need psychological assistance to boost their self-esteem; others need a psychologist to find a way out of a crisis, to achieve personal goals, or to raise their general life satisfaction.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Psychologist
Finding a psychologist is more than just randomly choosing a name from a directory. The first criteria to be met is to look for a certified psychologist with at least a few years of experience. The second condition is the proper “chemistry” a person can find even after one trial session.
Credentials and qualifications
Examining a psychologist’s credentials and qualifications is very important since they guarantee that the psychologist satisfies the required professional criteria to deliver psychological treatment. A master’s or doctorate in psychology is the first thing to look at; the second is the number of years of clinical practice.
Expertise
An important factor in choosing a psychologist is his specialization. Clinical psychology covers various fields one person can’t be specialized in. There are two main orientations within the field of clinical psychology.
Some psychologists are trained in behavioral therapy, others in psychoanalytical psychology. While behavioral psychotherapy covers the treatment of the majority of psychiatric conditions, there will be some disorders that require the look “behind the scenes.” For example, an unresolved childhood trauma might be the root cause of psychological problems appearing in adulthood. For such patients, psychoanalytical psychotherapy will be the most appropriate treatment method.
- Special disciplines within the psychotherapy are marriage counselling, trauma therapy, or treatment for addictions.
- Child psychologists specialize in treating psychological problems in children. They deal with behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and developmental problems like autism.
- Educational psychologists work in schools and other educational environments, addressing children’s learning difficulties.
- Industrial-organizational psychologists use their knowledge in corporate environments to raise organizational culture, job satisfaction, and productivity.
- Forensic psychologists work inside the legal and correction systems, handling cases such as criminal behaviour, custody conflicts, and resocialisation.
Experience
The psychologist’s experience in particular fields, has a significant impact on his ability to treat various mental health problems. The longer a psychologist has been practicing, the more profound their experience is likely to be. A seasoned psychologist will recognize the most unusual and difficult cases, managing them himself or referring the patient to a specialized colleague.
Approach and methodology
A layperson is often unable to distinguish a psychologist from a psychiatrist. The choice of a proper psychologist specializing in the treatment of particular mental health illnesses is impossible. In such a situation, the primary care physician, like a GP or even better, a psychiatrist, knowing the field can guide patients to an appropriate specialist.
The most frequently applied psychotherapy method is CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The behavioral methods are more symptom-oriented, and they are not always the best choice for every mental health problem. For instance, patients treated with antidepressants might be fully symptom-free. It doesn’t mean that they are healed. The medication is merely masking their symptoms. Therefore, in such cases, symptom-oriented therapy will fail. A better choice would be the use of psychodynamic therapy looking “behind the scenes,” trying to find the underlying problem.
Freudian psychoanalysis focuses on the past events and traumas shaping patient’s current behaviour. Modern psychoanalytical therapy is less dogmatic; it’s acknowledging the importance of the past events, but it looks more at the unconscious motivations in “here and now.” Humanistic therapy emphasizes individual awareness, acceptance, and accountability, emphasizing patient’s growth and self-actualization.
Meanwhile, the integrative therapies overcome the sharp division between behavioral and psychoanalytical methods. They use elements of both therapeutic techniques, adding the understanding of family dynamics.
Cultural sensitivity
Cultural sensitivity is especially crucial considering India’s variety of cultures. Ideally, psychologists should be aware of their client’s cultural and religious background, including their understanding of society norms and family dynamics and gender roles. The knowledge of such characteristics significantly improves the therapy outcome.
Providing relevant and efficient therapy also depends on the language proficiency allowing an unrestricted communication.
Accessibility and availability
Furthermore, important practical factors while selecting a psychologist are availability and accessibility. One should consider if the psychologist’s clinic is conveniently reachable for frequent visits or if online therapy could be a better choice. Particularly since the pandemics, online consultations have become more frequent. Telemedicine enables psychological support for patients who, for different reasons, would have problems traveling.
Reasonableness and cost
Choosing a psychologist also requires careful thought on cost and availability. The qualifications, experience, location, and session length determine how expensive services are. While searching for a professional psychologist, the patient’s budget might be a limiting factor. However, people’s life quality, social progress, and professional achievements depend on their mental health. Therefore, looking from this perspective, they should consider the importance of high-quality mental health treatment. Though mental health coverage is still under development in India, the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017 requires insurance providers to treat mental health issues equally as physical illnesses.
Personal comfort and rapport
The quality of the therapeutic relationship depends on the patient’s and therapist’s proper “chemistry.”. An undisturbed and trustworthy relationship with the therapist creates an atmosphere where patients can talk about their most personal problems at ease.
While choosing a psychologist, the first psychotherapeutic session gives the patients the first impression about the therapist. Patients should pay attention if the therapist listens carefully without judgment, asks intelligent questions, and offers clear explanations. Carefully weighing these elements helps to decide if the psychologist fits the individual’s requirements and preferences, guaranteeing a good and successful therapeutic outcome.
Comprehensive Psychotherapy Services at CHMC
Mental health disorders evolved into a major health problem in the modern world. The growing pace of technological progress combined with the disintegration of social infrastructure are the root causes for the increased incidence of psychiatric illnesses. Such disorders as anxiety and depression belong today, along with diabetes and hypertension, to “diseases of civilisation,” contributing to growing disability in the population.
To date, mental health interventions for depression and anxiety focused mostly on their treatment. Recently, the main effort shifted to their prevention. Therefore, psychiatrists and psychologists recognized that prevention and early recognition of these debilitating illnesses can unwind the spiral leading to social isolation, misery, and often to full invalidism.
At CHMC, we offer easily available, top-notch in-person, and online psychotherapy treatments, including screening for the early signs of mental health problems.
Our Online Psychotherapy Services
At CHMC, we are aware that not everyone has easy access to first-class treatment opportunities for their mental health problems. Therefore, we provide a range of online psychotherapy treatment methods to handle different psychiatric disorders. Our team of licensed and experienced therapists is here to help patients at every stage of their mental health problems.
How Our Online Psychotherapy Works
Starting online psychotherapy at CHMC is easy and straight forward.
First Step: Initial Consultation
The initial session gives us a general impression about our client’s problems. In the following step, we discuss with the patient the treatment’s objectives, the estimated frequency of the sessions, and, last but not least, the estimated cost of the treatment. Some mental health disorders, especially severe forms of depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, might need the involvement of our psychiatrist in the treatment plan.
Second Step: Tailored Treatment Approach
We create a customized treatment plan based on the patient’s diagnosis. The psychologist suggests the most suitable therapy technique or any other tools that might assist the patient’s treatment path.
Step 3: Regular Therapy Sessions
For the online sessions, we use the audio and video platform of Zoom. We send our patient a link, allowing an easy connection with the therapist. One day prior to the session, the patients will receive an appointment reminder. The video calls are absolutely confidential, safeguarding the patient’s privacy. Working closely with the therapist, patients get an insight into their problems along with their emotions. The initial goal of psychotherapy is to create a coping mechanism, as the final problem resolution needs several months, sometimes even years. Ideally, the psychotherapy ends successfully with a fully healed mental health disorder with no more symptoms of depression, anxiety, or sleeplessness. The symptoms can be fully removed while implementing in the patient’s life major life changes.
Step 4: Monitoring Progress and Adjusting the Plan
The psychologist tracks the treatment progress, adjusting the frequency of sessions and modifying the treatment method if necessary. Our feelings, thoughts, and actions are influenced not only by internal psychic processes but also by a variety of external events. Academic, professional, or social progress has an impact on our well-being and self-esteem. First, understanding our reactions while interacting with other people and their impact on our relationships opens the possibility to modify them.
Why Choose CHMC for Online Psychotherapy?
At CHMC, we offer compassionate, individualized, and high-quality treatment. Each of our therapists is a registered professional with a great depth of knowledge in several therapeutic techniques.
The mental health symptoms such as sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression are a “cray for help from within.” They express the disparity between what we are “designed to be” and our existent situation. Psychologists call the inner disparity or tension a “conflict.” Most of the conflicts leading to mental health problems are unconscious. By bringing conflicts to light, a person can take steps to resolve them.
The majority of mental health problems are not being developed over night. They may appear suddenly, but they evolved silently in the depths of our psyche over months, if not years. Therefore, we prefer a less frequent but consistent therapy over a longer period of time rather than a short-term therapy with very frequent sessions. After the initial phase with more frequent sessions, we continue the psychotherapy, seeing patients once per month. Such a method takes into consideration that major changes in people’s lives require time, determination, and patience.
Summary
Selecting a psychologist requires a careful evaluation of his/her credentials, experience, expertise, and cultural awareness. After an in-depth evaluation, our psychologists guide their clients and advise them which psychotherapy method to choose. Our psychologists are educated to deliver culturally sensitive treatment, preserving the values and customs of our Indian clients.
Our clinic provides online sessions and, for those visiting more frequently Dubai, also in-person psychotherapy. A model with 3-4 in-person sessions and 6-7 online sessions in a year is helpful for patients who find solace in direct human contact.